Mars Must Remember

Ice cubes clink
in the red warrior’s drink
and he gazes fondly
toward his iron planet,
a scarred and winded
desert of a land.
You remind us
that all politics
are local politics,
that peace depends
upon a show of strength.
Then why the desolate
landscape? Is the face
of Mars really just
so much scorched earth?
Freedom isn’t free.
We look longingly
at your domain. Who knows
what battles we must wage
to satisfy an angry god
when once again,
we tread the blood-rust ground
attempting, tempting fate,
to live there once again.

 

 

 

 

dumarsDenise Dumars’ father used to tell her that their name meant that they were from Mars. And if you met her father, you’d believe it. Denise is a widely published and awarded poet and writer of short stories and metaphysical nonfiction. Her most current book of poetry, Paranormal Romance: Poems Romancing the Paranormal, was twice nominated for the Elgin Award.